Cultural Conflicts And Integration In Mama Day From The Perspectives Of Tradition And Modernity

Gloria Naylor plays an important role in contemporary American literature and she has written many works reflecting the life of African American people.Mama Day is one of her most notable works,which has attracted a great deal of attention from scholars around the world.Chinese academics have been quick to emphasize the ways in which this novel reflects the tireless efforts of African American women to gain equal rights.Meanwhile,foreign scholars have often paid more attention to aspects of comparative analysis.They usually compare Mama Day with the works of other African American female writers or other novels by Naylor,in ways that reveal the power of traditional African culture and the hardship of black heroes for achieving the identity and salvation.This research has had a profound influence on the study of African American literature.With consideration to the life experiences of African American people,this thesis attempts to explore the dialectical relationship between tradition and modernity.This thesis will assert that it is essential to adhere to a rich traditional culture while also attempting to integrate with aspects of modernity.Put another way,the integration of tradition and modernity is a process that is indispensable to the realization of a virtuous dialectical relationship.The places in the novel are Willow Springs and the American mainland,and the main characters are Mama Day,Cocoa and George,which represent tradition and modernity respectively.As will be illustrated,Mama Day,through the development of its characters and plots,presents the conflict of tradition and modernity as well as offers us a framework for integrating theme of tradition and modernity.It is inevitable that tradition will encounter modernity on the way to inheriting,and the conflicts come with this meeting are indispensable to the process of integration.Although this integration can be painful,the act of reflection and learning can accelerate the process,while blind perseverance or entrenchment will exact heavy price.Integration is the inevitable trend of tradition and modernity,and this can be realized only through the experience of conflicts.By interpreting the process,this thesis aims to help readers develop a deeper understanding of traditional black culture.